Alan Pardew departed The Valley after a stinker against Sheffield United. Photograph: Daniel Hambury/EMPICS Sport/PA Photos
What wasn’t to like about the weekend? Australia’s rugby league players were thrashed by the Kiwis in the World Cup final, temperatures across the country soared to a balmy –37C and Oasis finally broke America by standing behind Ricky Hatton [...]

Frustration for Arsène Wenger. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
On a weekend in which the Premier League’s fixture computer was found more wanting than any number of children in need, Arsenal against Aston Villa was always likely to be the most intriguing encounter. The meeting of two Premier League sides consistent only in their maddening inconsistency [...]

Charlton Athletic manager Alan Pardew. Photograph: Daniel Hambury/Empics/PA
The jeers that began less than 20 minutes into the game were ringing around The Valley long after the final whistle on Saturday. Charlton’s 3-1 home defeat to Barnsley leaves the Addicks in the Championships’s relegation zone and Alan Pardew hanging on to his job by a fraying [...]

Wayne Rooney kisses the badge of his Manchester United shirt, to the irritation of Everton fans at Goodison Park. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
The Football Association will take no action against Wayne Rooney for his badge-kissing antics at Goodison Park on Saturday. Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he substituted Rooney for his own good at the weekend after [...]